Monday, October 19, 2015

A visit to Sky Nursery...

After visiting the Seattle Wholesale Growers Market I zoomed up north of Seattle to Shoreline, WA for a visit to visit Sky Nursery. Sky was around when I lived in Seattle (way before actually - they opened in 1953) but for some reason I don't think I ever stopped there.

Being in an urban location there isn't a huge display garden, but the parking lot was studded with planted up spaces.

Complete with an artfully fallen leaf on an ornamental cabbage...

Inside the nursery there was lots of autumnal goodness.

They really do look like fairy-tale pumpkins don't you think? Or at least fake pumpkins - but they were real...

I bought one of these, they were just too cute to pass up.

To say they had a wide selection of ornamental cabbage and kale would be an understatement.

Lot's of books at the info desk, right in the middle of the nursery.

Love these, but darn they are expensive! (over $100 for the tall one)

Treasure chest?

The planting could benefit from a nice gravel mulch...

Love these too...

They're not as expensive, but they're still a little pricey (I think the small one is $30).

Bryophyllum daigremontianum, aka Mother of Thousands.

Look at all these Saxifraga!

I grabbed a couple of these (on the far left in the photo above).

And one of these, to the right in the photo above. Too bad I completely missed that Zone 10 thing, even after taking a photo of the label! What nursery mixes Zone 10 plants in with ones hardy in the area? Kind of odd. Plus I thought Saxifraga were alpine plants, Zone 10 just sounds off...hmm...

I didn't get any of these, but it's a favorite - which I already have several of.

I need a few of these, Santolina virens 'Lemon Fizz' - but since it's a Little Prince of Oregon plant I'm counting on being able to find it at home, back in Portland.

Lovely Euphorbia...

Coprosma 'Evening Glow'

Coprosma 'Tequila Sunrise'

Okay, let's go outside!

I love a nursery that wants to appeal to collectors, not that I know any...

Grevillea!

I think this was Grevillea 'Canberra Gem' if not then Grevillea 'Noellii' - they had them both.

Grevillea lanigera 'Coastal Gem'

And my long term crush, Cunninghamia lanceolata 'Glauca'.

Mahonia gracilipes

I visited Ravenna Gardens during my time in Seattle. They usually kill the ornamental cabbage and kale plantings. There was nothing. NOTHING. Thank god Sky had a few (and if you're thinking about it you've still got two weeks to put together your OC&K challenge entry!)...

It's always interesting to price stock tanks from other sources.

Over on the plant lust blog I had a conversation with someone about autumn color on Oakleaf Hydrangeas. His caution, that their color can vary widely, was borne out by the plants at Sky.

Interesting variances don't you think?

And so that's my visit to Sky Nursery, I definitely recommend stopping in when you're in the area!

All material © 2009-2015 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

33 comments:

  1. Re: oak leaf hydrangea: That red on 'Ruby Slippers' is the fall color? Or are they red all the time? I've never seen them before.

    I didn't know they made galvanized fire rings. Kind of cool for folks who have stock tanks in their garden.

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    1. I am no expert on the hydrangea but the sign behind it seems to indicate the name 'Ruby Slippers' comes from the fact the flowers go from white, to pink, to deep rose. It also says the leaves turn mahogany in the fall, which leads me to believe that color isn't a year round phenomenon (oh but if it were!).

      I am anti fire in urban areas but agree the galvanized fire rings are interesting. First time I'd seen them!

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    2. Definitely fall color only. Pretty spectacular, though. Cheers.

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  2. Another nursery I have never heard of, but would very much enjoy visiting. Yes, those Lemon Fizz...we had a bunch at Drake's last week and I meant to get them, but someone bought them all... D'OH! You'll find them for sure.

    The Hydrangea 'Ruby Slippers' is the same variety I bought last week - they seem to have better leaf color than others. I have planted in the ground a straight Hydrangea q. 'Sikes Dwarf' that is in mostly shade and gets just a touch of fall color, but the blooms stay pretty white for a long time before turning pinkish.

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    1. Read the comments below from Evan and ks, regarding Lemon Fizz...

      So is 'Ruby Slippers' bound for the new homestead?

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  3. Thanks for the tip of Grevillea's at Sky. I live in Seattle, but it's just a bit further North than my usual go-to nursery, Swanson's. That's a nice selection of some uncommonly seen (in Seattle) varieties!

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    1. Yep, Swanson's was about as far north as I used to go to, that's probably why I'd ever been to Sky. Glad to share the Grevillea info!

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  4. Sky is a great nursery that I don't get to very often. Your pictures make me want to visit! May need more O C & K...

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  5. That zone 10 saxifrage does seem odd. Can't find much info on it other than that it hails from the mountains of Greece and Albany. Depending on which mountains and how high up, it could get quite cold or it could be rather mild. A word of caution regarding the Santolina. I've seen a few of those yellow-leaved ones lately and they're all full of green reversions. Unless you like the bicolor effect, snipping out those little green shoots could be a pain.

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    1. I appreciate your chiming in about the Saxifrage, I think I'm going to plant it out and see what happens. Hmm, also very good info on the Santolina, bi-color has it's place in my garden but not with this plant.

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    2. I'm almost positive I had that Saxifrage in my Kirkland garden, a solid zone 8. It was a tidy and adorable little thing.

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  6. Another great PNW nursery! The treasure chest (properly dressed) would be a great addition to your garden. I have yet to see OC&K in my local garden center - maybe now that the temperature has been below 80F for a few days, they'll get some in...

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    1. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you Kris...

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  7. Sky is probably my all-time favorite nursery in this area, I like it even better than Molbak's and Swanson's. When we first moved here, we lived in a rental house in North Seattle, and Sky was the first nursery I visited, so I have great memories of it. Our local nurseries have a pretty paltry selection of OC&K, so I might just have to make a trip up there later this week. My oakleaf Hydrangea does color up a bit, but I'm a little disappointed I didn't do a little more research on it and buy one like that Ruby Slippers.

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    1. That's high praise for Sky! If you do make it up I hope you'll share what other things you ended up bringing home, I'm sure it won't just be OC&K.

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  8. Fascinating how many varieties of oak leaf hydrangea are already coming out. I still remember how it took us awhile to find the species years ago. Interesting place, and love those planters!

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    1. Watching the arc of availability for a new and exciting plant is interesting. The basic two Scheffleras here (S.taiwaniana and S. brevipedunculata) are so widely seen now that my heart does't skip a beat any longer.

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  9. So I take it you passed on the hydrangea? Those were some nice specimens with great leaves. So I am green with envy over your snagging of S. longifolia: on my absolutely-must-have list for next year. Look up the hybrid Tumbling waters. I know you're not a flower fan, but it's about the most amazing inflorescence on a small plant that I've seen (in photos, anyway).
    Nice nursery, all around. Thanks for posting your visit.

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    1. I did, it's a space issue for the Hydrangea. WOW...you weren't kiddging about S. 'Tumbling Waters'...that's crazy!

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    2. Yeah those of us with small lots feel the space squeeze. I often find myself, plant in hand, looking about for a sacrifice to be dug and turned into compost. Of course I'm frozen on what to do in place of the non-performing oakleaf twin that I've been hating all these years............go figure.

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  10. Evan is right about the reversion issue on 'Lime Fizz', but it took about 3 years here in my garden, and I just dug all of them out this year. I plan to replace them with new plants --I think of Santolinas like Lavender --they seem to need to be refreshed every few years. I love lime fizz and am okay with discarding and getting new.

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    1. Thanks for the additional info, I will buy (if I buy) knowing what I'm getting into.

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  11. So much to see (and covet)... Wonderful long stems on those excellent pumpkins. Have priced galvanized stock tanks at the local feed store, and may take the plunge (so to speak) someday. (Do you drill holes in the bottom for more drainage? I'll check your archives.)

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    1. I do not drill holes, I only take out the plug in the side.

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  12. I always love you beautiful pictures! If I lived in the neighborhood I would certainly stop by to buy some beautiful plants. But It's a bit far for me because I live in Belgium.

    Greetings, Sofie
    http://sofies-succulent-beads.blogspot.be/

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  13. Wow! What a place. And I love that fairytale pumpkin. But then, I love all pumpkins.

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    1. Do you grow them Marian? I kind of wish I had the space to do so.

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  14. Nice place! To add to your data, my "Pee Wee" oakleaf hydrangea doesn't really color up either in the fall... maybe a touch of red at the leaf edges? (Still green right now though...)

    I wish stock tanks were more readily available around here. I could have fun with those I think.

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    1. They're not? That's crazy. I'd have thought you'd even have access to charming old school versions.

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  15. I was there this weekend looking for taiwaniana that are labeled as such but don't look like them. 2014 Monrovia claimed they shipped S. gracilis to several nurseries in the PNW, one being City People's nursery in Seattle. They didn't have it as I found out but I found a very narrow leaflet with double whirle leaf that was blooming at young age. If you see something like this you should buy it, I think it is a hybrid between tiawaniana and gracilis.
    Also this weekend I struck gold at the RSF Garden plant sale in Federal Way. Dan Hinkley's collection was there, Dan wasn't but his partner was there selling. They had two Sinopanax formosnus. I would have bought both but the price was $75, so I only bought one, and two Schefflera alpina. I'm dancing with joy over that. I have pictures on the Cloud Forest forem, Palm and exotic plant section.
    John(Aberdeen)

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  16. You could make those wall pockets out of junk store baking pans and sheet metal. I expect a tutorial. ;)

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